Premier Li Keqiang outlines 2016 achievements at NPC meeting

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The annual session of the 12th National People’s Congress opened on Sunday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Premier Li Keqiang has delivered a progress report on the government's work.

The premier reviewed the work conducted in 2016, and outlined the achievements:

-China’s GDP reached 74.4 trillion yuan (10.78 trillion US dollars), representing 6.7-percent growth, which outpaced most other countries.

-China contributed more than 30 percent of global growth. The CPI rose by 2 percent.

-A total of 13.14 million new urban jobs were added in 2016, and the registered urban unemployment rate stood at 4.02 percent at year-end.

-Consumption was the main driver of economic growth, with the value created by the service sector rising to 51.6 percent of GDP.

-China saw a 24.5-percent year-on-year increase in the number of new business registered.

-Over 1,900 kilometers of new high-speed rail came into service.

-A total of 12.4 million people in rural areas were lifted out of poverty.